Electronic customer service and rating system and method
A method and system of receiving, storing, and delivering customer comments, including qualitative and quantitative feedback, over a communications network, such as the Internet. Also, the present invention relates to a method and system of rating and ranking companies, including individual merchants and both buyers and sellers, and their products and services based upon comments received and then awarding the companies points based upon their rating.
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The present invention generally relates to a method for the interaction between consumers and companies in the area of customer service, feedback and rating, more particularly, relates to systems and methods for the collection, storage, and analysis of information in a wide area communications network, such as the Internet.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONThe customer service process has conventionally occurred by face-to-face contact. The current customer service process involves the use of telephone, fax, e-mail, pager and other mechanisms in an unstructured end-to-end process, which takes time on the consumer end and consumes both time and money on the company end due to the inefficiencies involved. Another problem with the current process is that oftentimes, a customer has to search to find the appropriate contact information for a company or organization and sometimes when they find the contact information, it's not guaranteed that this particular contact will be able to solve their problems. In fact, they may be referred to another individual within the company; thus the cycle begins again. The increase in computer ownership and in widespread use of the Internet, makes feasible the collection of information, for example, customer comments, via computer networks and related communication networks.
Additionally, the majority of information on the web today is qualitative—text, discussion forums, and other information that is hard to rapidly analyze and act upon. The full potential of the web as a real time quantitative knowledge acquisition and processing tool for businesses, organizations and even consumers has yet to be realized.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention permits the receiving, storing, and delivering of customer comments, including qualitative and quantitative feedback, related to companies and their products and services. Also, the present invention relates to a method and system of rating and ranking companies (including individual merchants and both buyers and sellers) and their products and services based upon comments received and then awarding the companies points based upon their rating.
A particular embodiment of the present invention relates to a method of providing customer service interactions via a communication network comprising: receiving a comment about a company or the company's products and services from a consumer of the company; storing the comment; sending notification to the company that the comment has been received; and providing access to the comment via the communication network. In the present invention, a comment is an qualitative and quantitative evaluation of the company or the company's products and services, wherein the evaluation may be any combination of remarks, statements, criticisms, complaints, compliments and suggestions.
Another aspect of the method further comprises: receiving a query from the company and forwarding the comment to the company; receiving a response to the comment from the company; storing the response from the company; sending a notification to the consumer that a response has been received; and providing access to the response via the communication network.
Another aspect of the method even further comprises: rating a plurality of companies based upon a plurality of comments received from a plurality of consumers; assigning a value to each comment; compiling the values of comments received for each company; ranking the plurality of companies based on the compiled values; and providing access to company ratings and rankings via the communication network.
In another embodiment, the present invention further comprises: sorting the comments based on comment type; assigning numeric values to each comment; compiling comments by adding the numeric values for each comment type and for each company; and providing access to the compiled comments via the communication network.
Another embodiment of the present invention relates to a method of providing customer service interaction via a communication network comprising: providing a database that serves to relate queries with preprogrammed responses in the form of data entry forms and stores information entered into the data entry form; delivering queries to the database over the communication network; accessing data entry forms relevant to the queries; inputting data to the data entry forms; and storing the data in the database.
Another embodiment of the present invention is a system for providing a customer service intermediary between at least one consumer communication device and a company communication device across a communication network, comprising:
a processor;
a memory device coupled to the processor;
a communication device coupled to the processor and the memory device, that enables communication via the communication network;
a database that is stored and updated in the memory device; and
an application program that is executed by the processor from the memory device comprising:
first code, responsive to a query from the consumer communication device via the communication device that instructs the communication device to send a data entry form to the consumer communication device;
second code, responsive to receiving a data entry form back from a consumer communication device via the communication device that stores a comment from the data entry form into the database; and
third code, responsive to receiving the data entry form back from a consumer to communication via the communication device that instructs the communication device to send a notification of the comment to the company communication device.
Another embodiment of the present invention is a method of providing a rating mechanism of companies and their products and services via a communication network comprising: providing a website and enabling access to the website via the communication network; enabling registration at the website wherein a company registers for membership in a points-based program; receiving a comment about a company or the company's products and services from a consumer of the company; rating the company based upon the comment; awarding points to the company or the company's products and services based upon level of rating; and ranking the company or the company's products and services based upon level of rating.
The points-based program of the present invention further comprises evaluating each comment a company receives and rating the company according to a numerical scale. The comments are each given a numerical value and the sum of these numerical values becomes the company's ranking. The company is awarded points based on the sum of the numerical values. The company's rating or ranking may be viewed by the communication network.
This points-based program provides an online rating and ranking system based upon consumer feedback about online and offline merchants. The rating mechanism of the present invention can be implemented with the method of enabling customer service interaction of the present invention or it can exist on its own. The points-based program includes rating of seller feedback based on various types of criteria and it also includes the capability of rating buyers as well as sellers and of rating individuals, such as sellers on Amazon and eBay, auctions who do not have their own websites, as well as companies that have their own websites and are typically considered as online merchants. Once a buyer has completed a sale on a website, for example, after making an online purchase, the buyer may be automatically directed to a web page where he or she can comment on the seller regarding the specifics of their transaction.
The points-based program provides a universal rating system for anyone who buys and/or sells on the Internet. This points-based program covers and is applicable to all classified, auction or e-Commerce sites. Unlike the eBay feedback mechanism, this site is a stand-alone, and it is not embedded into other websites, i.e., it can collect feedback from many different websites. In fact, the program can even collect feedback about traditional merchants who do not have an online presence. The ratings are provided by consumers who are customers of the merchants.
Embodiments of the present invention will add value to both the consumer and company. For the consumer, the present invention will give a “Power of the Press” effect by ranking companies based on the comments it receives from consumers. Secondly, it provides one place for consumers to go to initiate the customer service interaction instead of making numerous calls or searching for addresses. The value businesses will receive is the opportunity for free publicity; ability to reduce customer service costs; and the ability to display a logo on their website to demonstrate their commitment to quality customer service and membership in the rating program. In addition, the present invention provides a more streamlined, standardized process for efficient customer service interaction by providing a dynamic, data-driven website that acts as an intermediary between consumers and companies. The present invention will improve the quality of customer service worldwide, develop standards for customer service interaction, simplify the process of getting customer service for consumers, and reduce customer service costs for companies.
As used herein, “company” refers to commercial entities, online and offline buyers, sellers and individuals, and “consumer” refers to customers and online buyers or sellers. The terms “company” and “consumer” are interchangeable in the case of online auctions or classifieds, where a seller may comment on a buyer and a buyer may comment on a seller. This present invention's rating mechanism is available to those companies that may or may not have websites of their own.
Finally, embodiments of the present invention incorporate business rules that prevent abuse of the customer service and rating method. For example, the points-based program will only include feedback from registered users towards the rating by validating registered user e-mail addresses, etc. The feedback is tied to a specific transaction, for example, a transaction number, and is given more weight in the points-based program than feedback that does not tie back to any transaction. Therefore, the rating and ranking system of the points-based program places greater emphasis on feedback that pertains to a specific verifiable transaction as opposed to miscellaneous feedback that cannot be tied to a particular transaction. The program also places greater emphasis on feedback that comes from registered users who can be authenticated and have verifiable e-mail addresses.
The herein described embodiment relates to the use of electronic mail (e-mail) via the Internet.
Referring to
The connected devices of the network 12 include a data collector 8. The data collector 8 is a server computer. The data collector 8 is integrated with a database, either software or hardware, for storing, manipulating and providing data and communications mechanism, which is received by the data collector 8 from other devices connected to the network. The server computer database 8 may be a relational database management system such as, Oracle, SQL Server, or Sybase, an object database or some form of Extensible Markup Language (XML) storage medium, including simple XML files. Rather than a server computer, the data collector 8 may alternatively be any switch capable of transmitting and receiving information, including hardware and/or software capable of such functions.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, the data collector 8 is connected to a consumer communication device 4. The consumer communication device 4 is a personal computer. The consumer communication device 4 is capable of interacting with the data collector 8 by requesting and receiving communications served up by the data collector 8 over the communication network 12. Additionally, the consumer communication device 4 is capable (through a user, person or entity) of inputting and transmitting communications to data collector 8 over the communication network 12. Instead of a personal computer, the consumer communication device 4 can alternatively be any other network enabled device which can communicate with the data collector 8, such as a personal digital assistant, some other computer, a messaging pager, or other. As those skilled in the art will know and appreciate, both the data collector 8 and the consumer communication device 4 must in any event be capable (either themselves or with the assistance of other software or hardware) of communicating there between over the network 12.
Also, according to an embodiment of the present invention, the data collector 8 is also connected over the network 12 with one or more participant devices. One such participant device is a company communication device 6, and it is capable of interacting with the data collector 8. Another participant device is a third party communication device 10. The third party communication device is also capable of interacting with the data collector 8 by requesting and receiving communications served up by the data collector 8 over the network 12 and is capable (through a user, person or entity) of inputting and transmitting communications to the data collector 8 over the network 12. The third party communication device 10 may also alternatively be any other network enabled type of device that can communicate with the data collector 8, for example a personal digital assistant, some other computer, a messaging pager or other software or hardware communications device. As those skilled in the art will know and appreciate, the data collector 8 and the third party communication device 10 must in any event be capable (either themselves or with the assistance of other software or hardware) of communicating there between over the network 12, although the company communication device 6 and consumer communication device 4 need not necessarily be capable of communicating with the third party communication device 10 (or vice versa).
In certain embodiments, the data collector 8 of the system 2, for example a server computer, maintains a graphical interface such as a world wide website on the network 12, for example the Internet, which is accessible to the consumer communication device 4 and the company communication device 6. The consumer communication device 4 and the company communication device 6 are each capable of accessing and viewing the graphical user interface, for example via web browsers such as Microsoft's Internet Explorer™, or Netscape's Navigator™, operating at the consumer communication device 4 and the company communication device 6, respectively. The consumer communication device 4 and the company communication device 6 must each be able (either themselves or through assistance of other software or hardware) of allowing the user or participant persons or entities as applicable to provide input data via the graphical user interfaces at the consumer communication device 4 and company communication device 6 respectively to the data collector 8 over the network 12.
The server computer 8 includes several modes of interaction, two of which are “real time” and “delayed”. The server computer 8 is flexible in that it can switch between real-time and delayed modes. For example, if the interactions start out in “real-time” mode and it is determined that the comment cannot be responded to in “real-time mode”, the system will then switch to “delayed” mode for the company response. The server computer 8 may also gather company contact information in batch or real-time mode from company websites in Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) META tag or XML format. In “delayed” mode, the consumer's comments are stored in the server computer database 8 and are forwarded to the company, often via e-mail, for the company to respond to at a later time.
In “real-time” mode, the consumer enters the company name and the server computer performs a search. The server computer 8 searches the company's customer service contact information in real-time via the system's database 8 or by connecting to the company's website and looking up published customer service contact information and mode of interaction preferences posted using HTML META tags within HTML files or via XML elements within XML documents. The server computer 8 then couples to the consumer communication device 4 with the company communication device 6 through its customer service representative using this preferred communications channel.
Additionally, the server computer 8 may perform some monitoring functions, which may include recording response times. After the customer service interaction, the consumer, through a consumer communication device 4, may also complete a real-time survey of customer satisfaction via an HTML form or any other type of form.
Referring to
In another embodiment of the present invention, companies may enter their own contact information if it does not already exist within the system database. The information is entered via an HTML form or other form on the system website or via an automated Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) transaction or automated web-based transaction that updates the system database. The company may also update information that already exists within the system. The system can extract company information stored on the company's website by reading HTML META tags or XML files. This can be done either prior to the customer service inquiry through regularly scheduled automated process or in real-time to respond to a specific customer service inquiry. Also, third parties, acting on behalf of the company may also enter company contact information and update information. Information is entered the same way as discussed in the above-mentioned embodiment.
In another embodiment of the present invention, the comment may be forwarded to the company and the response may be forwarded to the consumer through other forms of notification, such as automatic placement of a telephone call, fax or pager notification. Data may be transferred using the XML standard and Document Type Definitions (DTDs) specific to the customer service and feedback/rating information being exchanged so that the company may process it using computer(s) and separate the content (the actual data) from the presentation. Data may be transferred to the company via the public Internet, via an extranet, or via another communication channel.
Referring to
Referring to
Referring to
Referring to
Referring to
In another embodiment of the present invention, computer(s) may receive the comment/response on behalf of the company/consumer in a format such as extensible markup language (XML). The computer(s) may do some pre-processing and storage of the information prior to contacting the necessary company customer service representative/consumer or even re-contacting the company for additional information. Responses may be either human input or machine generated. In yet another embodiment, responses may be entirely computer driven.
The server computer database stores company customer service contact information, optionally, consumer contact information, and the preferred modes of interaction (communication) between consumer and company.
Referring to
The application program 227 comprises codes necessary for the customer service interaction that is described in
The database 230 stores comments from the consumers and responses from the companies. The database 230 may be a relational database management system. The database 230 also maintains a graphical interface such as a world wide website on the network 12 which is accessible to the consumer communication device 4 and the company communication device 6.
EXAMPLESAn example of implementation of the customer service interaction follows:
Referring to
Referring to
In another embodiment of the present invention, the server computer 8 stores the company response and triggers consumer notification. Referring to
Referring to
After receiving comments about a company, the server computer 8 ranks the company based upon the level of comments. Referring to
The above-described process may be repeated by the same consumer and company until the customer service interaction has been satisfactorily resolved or may also be a one-time transaction with input of feedback and a quantitative rating.
An example of implementation of the points-based program, such as the TrustPoints™ program follows:
Referring to
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Claims
1. A method of providing customer service interactions and rating of customer service via a communications network, comprising:
- accessing an interactive website by a customer;
- inputting by the customer to the interactive website;
- sending by the customer, over the communications network to the interactive website, a comment and a customer service rating by the customer corresponding to a content entered in the step of inputting, the comment and the customer service rating relevant to a customer service provider;
- receiving the comment and the customer service rating at a storage operable in conjunction with a host server of the interactive website;
- storing the comment and the customer service rating in the storage;
- manipulating the comment and the customer service rating in the storage;
- deriving a customer service points score reflecting the comment and the customer service rating, as well as other information and inputs to the storage, including inputs by pluralities of different ones of the customer, relevant to the customer service provider;
- notifying the customer service provider that the comment is in the storage;
- making the interactive website accessible to the customer service provider at a geographic location remote from the storage;
- viewing the rating on the interactive website by the customer service provider at the geographic location;
- viewing the comment on the interactive website by the customer service provider at the geographic location;
- inputting by the customer service provider, to the interactive website, a response to the comment;
- storing the response in the storage; and
- accessing the interactive website by the customer to view the response;
- wherein the steps of inputting and sending by the customer, of receiving the comment and the customer service rating, of notifying the customer service provider, and of inputting by the customer service provider of the response are each performed in substantially real time.
2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:
- notifying the customer that the response to the comment.
3. The method of claim 2, wherein at least one of the step of notifying the customer or the step of notifying the customer service provider comprises sending an e-mail.
4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:
- embedding a hyperlink into the e-mail; and
- accessing the interactive website via the hyperlink, to view the comment.
5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:
- enabling the customer service provider to register at the interactive website;
- registering by the customer service provider; and
- preventing the customer service provider from performing the steps of viewing the rating, viewing the comment and inputting by the customer service provider the response, unless the customer service provider has first successfully completed the step of registering.
6. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:
- accessing by the customer to view the response, in substantially real time.
7. The method of claim 6, further comprising pluralities of the steps of receiving the comment and the customer service rating, notifying the customer service provider, and inputting by the customer service provider of the response, and accessing by the customer to view the response, are each performed in substantially real time.
8. A system for providing a customer service intermediary between at least one consumer communication device and a customer servicer communication device across a communication network, comprising:
- a processor;
- a memory device coupled to said processor;
- a communication device coupled to said processor and said memory device, that enables communication via the communication network;
- a database that is stored and updated in said memory device; and
- an application program that is executed by said processor from said memory device comprising:
- first code, responsive to a query from the consumer communication device via said communication device, that instructs said communication device to make accessible by the consumer communication device an interactive website suitable for input of a comment and a rating at the consumer communication device, the comment being deliverable to the communication device coupled to the processor and the memory;
- second code, responsive to receiving the comment and the rating at said communication device, that stores the comment and the rating into said database;
- third code, responsive to receiving the comment and the rating at said communication device, that instructs said communication device to send a notification to the customer servicer communication device;
- fourth code, responsive to receiving the comment and the rating at said communication device, that calculates a point score corresponding to the rating and others of the rating then stored in said database; and
- fifth code, responsive to a query from other than said communication device, that makes accessible the point score as having then been calculated and also makes accessible the comment and any other comments in the database;
- wherein the first code, the second code and the third code each operate in substantially real time.
9. The system of claim 8, the application program further comprising:
- sixth code, responsive to a query from the customer servicer communication device via said communication device, that instructs said communication device to forward a notice of said comment to the customer servicer communication device;
- seventh code, responsive to a registration submitted by the customer servicer communication device via said communication device, that makes operable the eighth and ninth codes;
- eighth code, responsive to a query from the customer servicer communication device via said communication device, that instructs said communication device to authorize access by the customer servicer communication device to the comment; and
- ninth code, responsive to operation of the eight code, that allows the customer servicer communication device to respond to the comment.
10. The system of claim 9, the application program further comprising:
- tenth code, responsive to operation of the ninth code, that instructs said communication device to forward any response from operation of the ninth code to the consumer communication device.
11. A method of providing an interactive customer service system operable via a computer network, comprising:
- providing a website communicably connected to the computer network;
- communicably connecting a customer device over the computer network, to the website;
- inputting a comment by the customer device to the website over the computer network;
- providing the website with a notification director;
- directing a notification by the notification director, to a customer service provider, in response to the step of inputting the comment;
- receiving the notification by the customer service provider;
- registering by the customer service provider to view the comment via communications over the computer network by a customer service provider device, communicably connected to the computer network;
- viewing the comment by the customer service provider device by communicative connection over the computer network to the website;
- inputting a response at the customer service provider device relevant to the comment;
- sending the response to the customer device, via the website and the computer network;
- wherein the steps of inputting the comment, directing the notification, receiving the notification, viewing the comment, inputting the response, and sending the response are all performed in substantially real time.
12. The method of claim 11, wherein the method allows real time interactive communications between the customer device and the customer service provider device over the computer network.
13. The method of claim 11, further comprising the step of:
- determining a point score for the customer service provider, based on pluralities of the comment and the response by varied pluralities of the customer device respecting the customer service provider; and
- displaying the point score for the customer service provider on the website, accessible over the computer network.
14. The method of claim 13, further comprising the step of:
- determining a rank for the customer service provider against criteria; and
- displaying the rank for the customer service provider on the website, accessible over the computer network.
6037934 | March 14, 2000 | Himmel et al. |
2002298001 | March 2001 | JP |
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- Mannix, Margaret. “Who's Been naughty and Who's Been Nice.” Sep. 27, 1999; US News and World Report v127 n12, p60.
- eBay Feedback Forum.http://cgi2.ebay.com/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewFeedback&userid=hotrodsteele%40comcast.net.retrieved 30 Jun. 202 [online].
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Type: Grant
Filed: Jun 25, 1999
Date of Patent: Jun 20, 2006
Assignee: (Highland Village, TX)
Inventor: Nicholas D. Evans (Highland Village, TX)
Primary Examiner: James A Reagan
Attorney: The Law Firm of H. Dale Langley, Jr., P.C.
Application Number: 09/344,795
International Classification: G06F 17/60 (20060101);